Sorry I don't have photos for any of this right now...if you really want some, I may be able to find a camera...somewhere...

Anyway, one of my favorite patterns to knit actually comes right off of the carewear website. It's a pattern for making baby hats for preemies (or average-size infants), and it can be found at:

http://www.carewear.org/patterns/knit/knit.cfm?pid=_p10_basic_knit_hat.cfm

Other than that, I rarely use normal patterns. I tend to prefer simpler projects and often invent my own patterns (usually just for making scarves, shawls, dishcloths, handtowels, bookmarks, and that sort of thing...although I did make a hat once...).

Here are a few of my favorite patterns that I like to use for dishcloths and scarves:

Bamboo rib: multiple of 8 stitches plus 6. Row 1; p2, k2. Repeat to end of row, end with p2. Row 2; k2, p2. Repeat to end of row, end with k2. Row 3; p2, k2. Then p6, k2 to last 2 stitches, end with p2. Row 4; k2, p2. Then k6, p2 to last two stitches, end with k2. Rows 5 and 7 same as row 1; rows 6 and 8 same as row 2. Row 9; p6, k2, repeat to last 6 stitches, ending row with p6. Row 10; k6, p2, repeat to last 6 stitches, ending row w/ k6. Row 11 do as row 1; row 12 do as row 2. Repeat from beginning until desired length.

Diagonal rib: multiple of four stitches. Rows 1 and 2; k2, p2 all the way across. Row 3; p1, k2, then p2, k2 to last stitch, end on p1. Row 4; same as row 3, but k stitches are p and p are k (k1, p2, then k2, p2 to last stich, end on k1). Rows 5 and 6; p2, k2 all the way across. Row 7; same as row 4. Row 8; same as row 3. Repeat these 8 rows until desired length.

Moss Rib (or Seed Rib): multiple of 6 stitches plus one. Row 1; k2, then p3, k3 to end (but end w/ k2 instead of k3). Row 2; p1, then k1, p1 to end. Repeat these 2 rows until desired length.

Broken Double Rib; multiple of 4 stitches plus 2. Row 1; k2, then p2, k2 to end. Row 2; p entire row. Repeat these 2 rows until desired length. Can also be done for broken single rib (k1, then p1, k1 for row 1 and p across for row 2, using multiple of 2 stitches plus 1).

Easiest lace pattern: multiple of 2 stitches. k2tog, yo across each row. Repeat this row until desired lenth.

Cornish Lattice: multiple of 6 stitches plus 3. This stitch works better when done with a border (if done for washcloths or scarves) because the stockinette will curl. I prefer using seed stitch borders, but garter works too. Rows 1, 3, 5, 10, 12, and 14; p3, then k3, p3 to end of row. Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, 16, and 18; p across. Rows 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, and 17; k across.

One of my favorite (and easiest) things to knit, though is shawls. I take 2 different yarns (about standard weight) and circular size 19 needles and knit 25-40 stitches across until desired length. It makes a lightweight, but cozy, warm-textured shawl (plus it's a lot of fun playing with different colors to make them with). More of a winter Christmas-gift kind of item, but kind of addicting for me (I made 3 or 4 in one week once).

Just for those who are not familiar with all of my terms:

k means knit stitch, p means purl stitch, k2tog is knit 2 together, and yo is yarn over. These are some pretty standard knitting terms (you'll find them on almost all knitting patterns). For learning how to knit I highly recommend learning from someone, because it is much easier to learn from a person than from a picture.